1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector having a hinged cover to hold terminals, particularly to a structure for securing the cover to the housing of the connector. The connector housing receives a plurality of terminals each for pressing in an electrical wire and has a construction to be attached to a vehicle side fitting panel.
2. Prior Art
Referring to FIG. 7, there is disclosed a prior art connector 1 that is attached to a vehicle side fitting panel. The connector 1 has a connector housing 2, a plurality of wire-press-fit-type terminals 3 received in the connector housing 2, and a cover 4 engaged with the connector housing 2 for covering the terminals 3.
The connector housing 2 has a plurality of the partition walls 8 provided between a pair of side walls 7, 7 that each have a locking projection 6 (only one of projections 6 is illustrated in the figure) near the rear end 5 of the connector housing 2. The partition walls 8 extend in the insertion direction of the terminals 3 from the rear end 5 to define a terminal receiving portion 10 having a plurality of the terminal receiving channels 9. Joined to the terminal receiving portion 10, is an opposing connector coupling portion 12 which extends to the fore end 11 of the connector housing 2 for mating with an opposing connector housing (not shown). The opposing connector coupling portion 12 has a guide wall member 13 opened toward the terminal receiving channels 9. The guide wall member 13 defines an insertion cavity 15 for receiving a vehicle side fitting panel 14.
The terminal 3 has an electrical connection pin 3a extending into the opposing connector coupling portion 12 and an electrical wire crimping portion 3b for press-securing an electrical wire 16. The terminal 3 also has a flexible locking tab (lance) 3c located in the rear side of the electrical connection pin 3a for locking to a stepped portion (not shown) of the terminal receiving channel 9 to secure the terminal 3 in the terminal receiving channel 9.
The cover 4 has a fore end 17 with a pair of hinges 18, 18 that connect the cover 4 to the connector housing 2. Furthermore, the cover 4 has each side wall located near the rear end 19 of the cover 4. Each side wall defines a locking plate 20 having a locking hole 20a associated with the locking projection 6.
The connector 1 can receive and secure a plurality of the terminals 3, which each have been press-fitted with the electrical wire 16, in the plurality of terminal receiving channels 9. The locking plate 20 of the cover 4 engages with the locking projection 6 of the connector housing 2 to close the cover 4. The connector 1 is attached to the vehicle side fitting panel 14 that is received into the panel insertion cavity 15.
In the prior art, when the cover 4 has closed the terminal receiving portion 10, the fore end 17 of the cover 4 tends to move upward. The movement of the fore end 17 possibly causes a deformation or a damage of the locking plates 20, 20. The provision of the connector 1 in such an incomplete condition causes a disadvantage to a worker in a car assembling factory where the connector 1 will be attached to a vehicle body with the fitting panel 14.
To eliminate the above-described problem, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector having a terminal receiving portion with a cover that can reliably engage with the connector housing to protect the terminal receiving portion.